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Awards

Every year, the NPPA honors those who have supported the organization, assisted visual journalism and visual journalists, or have contributed to our profession.

The winners are selected from people nominated by the membership of the organization. To nominate a candidate please visit the nomination form, select an award, and provide the name, email address and phone number of the person nominated, along with a brief description of why that person should be considered.

Established in 1949, this is the highest honor in the field of visual journalism. The award recognizes an individual who advances and elevates the visual journalism profession by conduct, initiative, leadership, skill, and devotion to duty.

Established in 1954, this award is given to an individual for most outstanding initiative, leadership and service in advancing the goals of NPPA in the traditon of Joseph Costa, a founder of NPPA, its first President and Chairman of the Board.

In keeping with the NPPA's mission of vigorously promoting freedom of the press in all its forms, this award recognizes an individual who has worked to promote and advance the First Amendment, especially as it relates to news photographers. The award is named after NPPA past president Alicia Wagner Calzada, the founder and longtime chair of NPPA's Advocacy committee, who is now an attorney specializing in media law.

Morris Berman was a past president of the NPPA. Prior to his death in 2002, he attended every one of our conventions. This citation is given to an individual for special contributions advancing the interests of visual journalism.

The award, in memory of a founder and first national secretary, is given to a news photographer chosen from those nominated, who has completed at least 40 years of service, whether or not they are members of NPPA.

Burt Williams, now deceased, was a photographer for the Cleveland News and Plain Dealer, the Pittsburgh Press and the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph.

Awarded to an individual who has served as an outstanding mentor, either to a specific individual or to photojournalism in general. Nominations for this award are to come from working photojournalists. The recipient of the award may have, but not need not have, any formal connection to photojournalism.

The citation honors the memory of NPPA's second national treasurer (1948-1950), who set an example of devotion to NPPA ideals. The award is given to the regional associate director (formerly regional secretary-treasurer) judged most outstanding in the performance of his or her duties.

Given to the editor(s) of an outstanding newspaper, magazine, video, movie, website, book, or other publication or broadcast that supports and promotes strong visual journalism, and best use of photography, and whose individual dedication and efforts have moved visual journalism's standards forward while also advancing the best interests of all photographers.

(Through 2002) Winners of the NPPA and Univ. of Missouri Pictures of the Year Competition. Includes Univ. of Missouri 50-Print Exhibition, Univ. of Missouri News Pictures of the Year, National Press Photographers Association Competitions, and the NPPA/Missouri Pictures of the Year Competition Results.

The recipients of the highest honor in television news photography were called the Newsfilm Cameramen of the Year when the awards program was first established in conjunction with the Pictures of the Year.